PRITAM SENGUPTA writes from New Delhi: A quite extraordinary aspect of the supernatural implosion in the BJP is how the “disciplined party”—the democratic party with a difference—has dropped all pretence …
CHETAN KRISHNASWAMY writes from Bangalore: Sparks of cinematic brilliance crackle in isolated bursts all through Vishal Bharadwaj’s densely textured film Kaminey. Unfortunately, a rather dysfunctional script makes it stutter and …
The brave soldiers who have pledged their lives to preventing disrespect to Hinduism—the selfless activists of the Bajrang Dal—give Lord Ganesha a respectful farewell in Raichur on Friday. Photograph: Santosh …
Its dream of an Akhand Bharat may forever remain a dream, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed, in a manner of speaking, to keeps folks laughing on both …
E.R. RAMACHANDRAN writes: I met the Ace Political Expert (APE) after a long time. He was taking his morning walk in Cheluvamba Park. When we settled on one of the …
North vs South, desi vs videsi, Bombay vs Delhi, English vs bhasha, urban vs rural, Carnatic vs Hindustani, Bollywood vs every other wood… to all the usual debates, you can …
A good swami doesn’t hesitate from swimming against the tide. Sri Shivamurthy Murugarajendra sharanaru, the pontiff of the 350-year-old Sri Murugha Mutt, joins other seers and tourists for a round …
Candidates have to declare their assets and liabilities before the elections in a sworn affidavit. Bureaucrats do too, and there is the Lok Ayukta to keep a watch over them. …
Two years ago, Sudheendra Kulkarni, the Belgaum-born, Kannada-speaking IITian-journalist who became an advisor to both Atal Behari Vajpayee and Lalchand Kishinchand Advani before leaving the BJP last week, wrote these …
E.R. RAMACHANDRAN writes: They met again, sans sidekicks and other official paraphernalia at Ulsoor Lake. They were not exactly incognito, but nobody recognized them. The elder man, instead of Chennai …
With the Ramzan month rolling into Muslim rolodexes, it is time to shop for the fez that fits. In Shivajinagar in Bangalore on Tuesday, a young customer tries one on …
PRITAM SENGUPTA writes from New Delhi: Former Indian Express editor Arun Shourie‘s explosive interview with the paper’s current editor, Shekhar Gupta, while revealing the deep schisms within the BJP, has …
SHARANYA KANVILKAR writes from Bombay: Vishal Bharadwaj‘s latest film Kaminey has quarantined “film critics” suffering from “Fine Flu” to a port called Tizzy on a ship called INS Conformism. Stars …
In the cesspool that is Indian politics, Arun Shourie has lobbed a giant pebble in the stinking swamp that is the Bharatiya Janata Party. It could sink without a trace …
B.S.NAGARAJ writes from New Delhi: Once upon a time, in the year of the lord 1975, as part of their Noorondu Ganesha (Ganesha 101) peregrination, two little boys ventured into …
For news photographers life is one endless “assignment”. The ticking timepiece, the pressure to capture ‘The Moment better than the others on the beat, the boxing for space between “video” …
Ganesh Chathurthi aka Ganesha Habba invokes the usual reverential cliches from devotees—remover of obstacles, provider of solace, omen of good hope, etc. The media, too, can scarcely go beyond amplifying …
MADHU GOPINATH RAO writes from New York City: August brings back fond memories. Memories of life when things were simple and black and white, a time when money was scarce …
A few weeks ago, expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh slammed finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for being miserly with the income tax exemption limits. “The relief is so meagre it won’t …
B.S. NAGARAJ writes from New Delhi: That Gujarat chief minister Narendra Damodardas Modi should have moved so swiftly to ban Jaswant Singh‘s book on Jinnah is not surprising. After all, …
Jyotirmaya Sharma, a professor in political studies at the University of Hyderabad and author of “Terrifying Vision”: M.S. Golwalkar, the RSS and India, in Mail Today: “Jaswant Singh‘s expulsion means …
Pratap Bhanu Mehta in The Indian Express: “In expelling Jaswant Singh the BJP has confirmed the fears of its worst critics: that the party is nothing but a party founded …
After watching Jaswant Singh‘s media powwow in Shimla following his expulsion from the BJP, PRITAM SENGUPTA in Delhi has a few questions for the BJP: *** 1) Like, is this …
Watching TV used to be simple in the age of terrestrial broadcasting. The advent of satellite, cable and dish have made viewing a more pleasurable experience, of course, but there …
The Jinnah Jinx has hit the BJP once again. First L.K. Advani found himself very nearly ostracised from the saffron brotherhood for comments he made during a visit to Pakistan. …